Portable lighting fixture



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 P 1967 H. A. MARTINEAU ETAL PORTABLE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed June 23, 1965 x w w w w Sept. 5, 1967 H. A. MARTINEAU ETAL 3,340,392

PORTABLE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed June 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HAROLD A. MARTINEAU ROBERT C. FEHLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,340,392 PORTABLE LIGHTING FIXTURE A. Martineau and Robert C. Fehler, both of Rte. 1, Rosemount, Minn. 55068 Filed June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,403

5 Claims. (Cl. 240-521) Harold ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE extends through the frame member and to the light fixture with the free end of the cord on the drum reel being adapted to be drawn out to be placed in a power receptacle source. The clamping means includes a spring biased plunger which faces inwardly of the frame to engage the wall and clamp the frame thereon.

Our invention relates to light fixtures and more particularly to an improved portable light fixture which is adapted to be mounted on the surface at the edge of the same for use in lighting enclosures not provided with internal and permanent lighting.

Lighting fixtures of varying types for portable and outof-door use are well recognized. The environment in which they are used, the type of temporary installation required, and the accessibility of a power source are factors which contribute to the variety of designs for the same. The present invention is directed to an improved portable light fixture particularly adapted to be used in connection with out-of-door locations for lighting partially enclosed structures which normally do not have permanent lighting accessible thereto or which include provision for lighting within the same. In particular, our improved lighting fixture is adapted for use in connection with enclosures such as railway boxcars, in which it is desired to have lighting within the same for working within the enclosure during a loading or unloading operation. Normally the power source is remote from the car and the railway boxcar does not have provision for internal lighting therein. Under these conditions, it is desirable to have a portable light fixture which can be quickly installed and mounted in an out of the way location so that it will present no interference to a working operation therein and will have sufiicient energizing cord to permit it to be connected into permanent outlet receptacles in nearby locations for energizing the same. This improved lighting fixture eliminates a necessity of portable electric sources, long extension cords and the mounting of the same, and permits a simplified structure which may be easily mounted on the wall of the car and removed therefrom for working purposes.

Our improved light fixture has a generally U-shaped frame mounting structure which is adapted to fit around the edge of a wall defining an opening in an enclosure to facilitate mounting of the same in an out of the Way location normally elevated so as to permit ingress and egress to and from the enclosure. The improved lighting fixture has. provision for one or more lighting sockets connected thereto which may direct light throughout the entire enclosure and includes a reel for an extension type energizing cord which will permit the same to be plugged into remote locations for energizing the light fixture. This improved light fixture a wall structure such as a side of a boxcar by simply deflecting a clamping plunger therein and locating the same on the wall structure so that a portion of the same fits around the edge of the enclosure and is mounted on the opposite surface of the wall to provide a rigid and secure type mounting. With such an arrangement, the normal working operation may be carried on within the enclosure without the light fixture presenting an obstruction to such operation. This improved lighting fixture is rugged in construction and folds up with the extension of the cord being housed on a reel so as to provide a compact. structure which may be readily stored.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide an improved portable light fixture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved portable light fixture having a frame adapted to fit around and mount on a wall opening with a reel mounted energizing conductor mounted thereon to permit energization from a remote source.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable light fixture which may be readily installed and used and provides positive positioning and clamping of the same on the wall structure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable light fixture which is simple in design, rugged in construction, requires substantially no maintenance and is relatively low in cost.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached description together with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved portable light fixture showing the usage of the same.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the improved portable light fixture with parts broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation View of the improved portable light fixture of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation view of the improved portable light fixture of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view showing a portion of the improved portable light fixture.

Our improved portable light fixture is shown in FIG- URE 1 in one of its intended uses, namely in the lighting of an interior of a railway boxcar for improved working conditions. It will be understood, however, this lighting fixture may be applied to any similar enclosure or area which has inadequate lighting provisions. Thus as will be seen in FIGURE 1, the improved lighting fixture 10 is shown mounted on a wall of a boxcar 12 adjacent the opening in the side of the same, such as a door 15 for the boxcar. The improved lighting fixture may be mounted at a suflicient height on the wall of the boxcar so as not to present an obstruction to ingress and egress from the boxcar and such that it will remain stationarily mounted when positioned to provide proper lighting and working conditions. An extendable type energizing cord, indicated at 20, provides a sufiicient length of input conductor to permit the lighting fixture to be energized from a remote electrical source such as an outlet indicated at 25. This outlet would normally be at a railway siding or building at which the boxcar is located for loading and unloading conditions. The light fixture may also be positioned in certain areas of a building which are not provided with adequate lighting.

As will be seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, this improved portable light fixture 10 is comprised of a generally U- shaped frame member 30 which is a hollow structure permitting positioning of the energizing cord therethrough, as will be later described. This improved frame member may be made from a bent pipe or similar material and mounts at one extermity an electrical connector may be readily mounted on box 32 which is attached to the end of the frame at a threaded extremity 34 of the same through a suitable clamping nut 35. It will be recognized that a pressure clamp type fitting may be utilized for this purpose, if desired. The electrical connector box provides an enclosure for electrical connections 40 of wires from lighting fixtures and the base of the box has prong members 45 extending therethrough and attached to the box for positioning purposes. The top of the connector box mounts a cover member 50 which is attached thereto by suitable screw means 52, which cover has knockout openings therein for mounting pipe extremities 55 of the light fixtures or sockets, indicated at 60, the pipe extremities being connected to the cover through suitable nut means 58. In the present disclosure, two light fixtures are shown which fixtures are mounted on opposite ends of the cover 50 and extend in opposite directions therefrom with the individual fixtures having a pivotal connection or-pivot structure 62 included therewith to permit tilting of the light fixture relative to the box for directing the light from the same. Further the light fixtures include guards 65 over the bulbs 66 mounted therein in a conventional arrangement for work lights.

The opposite extremity of the U-shaped frame member mounts a flange 70 which is suitably attached to this end of the frame member, such as by welding. This flange carries a U-shaped frame 72 which connects with a similar frame 74 attached to the surface of a drum type reel 75 upon which the connector cord for the light is mounted. The flange members 72, 74 are suitably connected by pivot pins 76 which permits the drum to be tilted toward and away from the other extremity of the light fixture for the purpose of providing a relatively compact arrangement for storing and to facilitate the positioning of the light fixture on a wall surface. The details of the drum type reel are omitted for simplicity since this is a conventional unit whose details form no part of the present invention and may take varying forms. The plug extremity 78 of the connector cord carries a conventional I stop ball 80 thereon to limit movement of the cord into the drum type reel in the enclosing direction. The reel at the opposite extremity carries a stationary lead conductor 82 which extends through a sealed bushing 85 in the drum I surface and through a sealing plug 88 in the end of the frame to seal the entrance of the conductor cord through the U -shaped frame. A suitable cap nut 90 permits removal and inspection of the cord at this point.

This end of the U-shaped frame member also mounts a cylindrical housing 92 which is welded to the tubular frame member and has a threaded extremity 94 over which is positioned a cap 95 to enclose a plunger 96 having a compression spring 98 behind the same with the plunger having a projecting finger 99 extending through an aperture in the cap 95 and toward the opposite extremity of the frame member. The plunger 99 is spring biased in a direction out of the confines of the housing 92 such that the finger is adapted to engage a wall surface, such as is indicated at 100 in FIGURE 2, for the purpose of urging the wall surface or the frame member 30 in a direction to cause the screw type prongs 45 on the other extremity of the frame member to engage the opposite surface of the wall and positively position the frame member on a wall or similar surface at both sides thereto to insure positive mounting of the light fixture. The U- shaped frame member permits the lighting fixture to be positioned around the edge of the wall surface for mounting purposes and provide a minimum of obstruction and an enclosed mounting for lighting conductor cord.

- In the installation of the improved lighting fixture, the finger 99 of the plunger is manually deflected against the bias of the compression spring 98 and the frame member is slid around a wall structure, such as the wall or door of a boxcar. Upon release of the bias pressure on the finger, the plunger will be directed against the one wall surface causing the frame member to move in a direction to engage the opposite surface of the wall with the connector box and in particular with the prongs 45 thereon. These prongs will dig into the wall and provide a positive mounting of the fixture in a clamping action exerted between the ends or extremities of the frame member for positively positioning the light fixture in a rigid mounting on the surface. The fixture may be mounted in a desired height and will not project substantially into'the opening such as to provide interference to ingress and egress therefrom. The individual fixtures or sockets 60 mounted on the connector box 32 may be directed in any direction for adequate lighting purposes and while we have shown a pair of such lighting fixtures, it will be recognized that any number may be utilized within the physical space limitations for mounting the same on the cover 50 of the connector box. Electrical connections between the individual light sockets and the input conductors are made within the connector box in a conventional manner, such as is indicated at 40. When the lighting fixture is positioned in a location where it is to be used, the connector cord is withdrawn from the reel such that the outlet plug 78 may be plugged into a suitable outlet receptacle in any nearby location where such an outlet is available. The extension of the cord being included on the frame member, eliminates the necessity for separate extension cords and the hazard and inconvenience of such cords becoming separated in a normal working location. The extension cord for the lighting fixture being housed in the drum type reel insures that an adequate cord will be available at all times at the fixture to simplify the usage of the same. The improved lighting fixture is rugged in construction and relatively compact so that it may be simply installed and use and easily stored between usages.

In considering this invention, it is intended that the disclosure herein be primarily illustrative and that the variation in the materials, form and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the invention. We therefor wish our invention to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable light fixture comprising, a generally U-shaped hollow frame member, an enclosed electrical mounting box connected to one extremity of the hollow U-shaped frame member with its interior communicating with the hollow frame, at least one bulb holding socket member mounted on the connector box, a drum-type reel of conductor cord having a plug-type extremity adapted to be withdrawn from the feel and connected to a receptacle of an electric source, the other extremity of the reel of conductor cord extending out of the reel and through the hollow frame member to the connector box, means mounting the drum-type reel on the other extremity of the frame member, and means included on the frame member at the extremities thereof for securing the frame member on an object with the extremities abutting either side of the object, said means included on the frame member being a spring biased plunger connected to the frame member at the other extremity thereof with the plunger facing the first named extremity and prong means mounted on said one extremity of the frame member and directed toward the other extremity thereof to clamp an object therebetween.

2. The portable light fixture of claim 1 in which the hollow frame member is a bent tubular form with the conductor cord positioned within the same.

3. The portable light fixture of claim 2 in which the conductor cord is positioned through the other extremity of the hollow frame member upon which the drum-type reel is mounted and including sealing means in the hollow frame member at said other extremity to seal the conductor cord entering from the reel therein.

4. The portable light fixture of claim 3 in which the drum-type reel is pivotally mounted on the other extremity of the hollow frame member for pivotal movement toward and away from the first named extremity of the frame member.

5. A portable light fixture comprising, a frame member adapted to mount the fixture around the edge of a wall, said frame member being shaped with the extremities adapted to be positioned on opposite surfaces of the wall, a connector structure at one extremity of the frame memher, a plurality of light fixtures mounted on the connector structure and projecting away from the frame member, clamping means included in part in each extremity of the frame member and cooperating to hold the frame member in position on a wall, an electrical conductor means adapted to be connected to a source of electric power to energize the light fixtures, a portion of the conductor means being mounted on a retractable reel and connected to the other extremity of the frame member with the conductor means extending from the reel along the frame member to the connector structure and the light fixtures, said clamping means being a biased plunger and pointed prong means mounted on opposite extremities of the frame member and adapted to engage opposite surfaces of the wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,309,714 7/1919 Anderson 240-818 1,930,993 10/1933 Blodgett 240-4 2,107,914 2/ 1938 Stricker et a1 2404 2,783,367 2/1957 Locke 24052.1

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. W. M. FRYE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE LIGHT FIXTURE COMPRISING, A GENERALLY U-SHAPED HOLLOW FRAME MEMBER, AN ENCLOSED ELECTRICAL MOUNTING BOX CONNECTED TO ONE EXTREMITY OF THE HOLLOW U-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER WITH ITS INTERIOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE HOLLOW FRAME, AT LEAST ONE BULB HOLDING SOCKET MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE CONNECTOR BOX, A DRUM-TYPE REEL OF CONDUCTOR CORD HAVING A PLUG-TYPE EXTREMITY ADAPTED TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE REEL AND CONNECTED TO A RECEPTACLE OF AN ELECTRIC SOURCE, THE OTHER EXTREMITY OF THE REEL OF CONDUCTOR CORD EXTENDING OUT OF THE REEL AND THROUGH THE HOLLOW FRAME MEMBER TO THE CONNECTOR BOX, MEANS MOUNTING THE DRUM-TYPE REEL ON THE OTHER EXTREMITY OF THE FRAME MEMBER, AND MEANS INCLUDED ON THE FRAME 